Storage unit with hinged top and front

ABSTRACT

A storage unit formed from a top panel and a front panel. The front panel is pivotally mounted about an axis at the top thereof to the top panel. The top panel includes a space therein to receive the front panel when the latter is pivoted from a normal perpendicular relationship with the top panel about the axis to a parallel relationship with the top panel. The top panel is pivotally attached to a back panel. Stop means are employed to limit the pivotal movement of each panel.

I United States Patent 1 [111 3,7303% Albinson et al. 51 May 1, R973 [54] STORAGE UNIT WITH HINGED TOP 2,268,199 12/1941 Greer ..312 240 x AND FRONT 3,087,767 4/1963 Schell ..312/240 [75] Inventors: Don C. Albinson, Coopersburg; William I. Stephens, Telford, both of Prlrfwry EXamI'YerUAHPfH Knowle? Pa Assistant Examiner-Reinhold W. Thieme Attorney-Robert Scobey et al. [73] Assignee: Knoll International llnc., New York,

[22] Filed: June 15, 1971 [57] ABSTRACT [21] Appl. No.: 153,352 A storage unit formed from a top panel and a front panel. The front panel is pivotally mounted about an 52 us. Cl. .220/29 217/58 312/240 axis mp were the top panel- The top panel u 3 312/328 includes a space therein to receive the front panel 51 Int. Cl. ..B65d 51/18 when the is pivoted from a normal Perpendicu- [58] Field of Search ..217/57, 58; 220/29; relationship with the top panel ahwt the axis to a 312 240 313, 32 32 parallel relationship with the top panel. The top panel is pivotally attached to a back panel. Stop means are [56] References Cited employed to limit the pivotal movement of each panel.

UNITED STATES PATENTS 13 Claims, 10 Drawing Figures 2,206,004 6/1940 Ford ..3l2/240 X y PATENTED RAY 1 75 SHEET 1 BF 2 TicTE.

INVENTORS 00/\/ C ALB/N50 TiTlEI PATENTEDHAY 1mm 730,378

' SHEET 2 OF 2 1 STORAGE UNIT WITH HINGEI) TOP AND FRONT BACKGROUND AND BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION The present invention relates to storage units. In particular, the invention provides a storage unit having a front panel that is used to close off the front access opening of the storage unit, but which may be pivoted into a space in a top panel of the storage unit so that the storage unit is left open.

Representative prior art patents are as follows:

U.S. Patent No. Patentee Issued 1,759,178 E.D. Weldon 20 May 1930 2,503,020 T. Bailey 4 Apr. 1950 3,005,228 I. Friend 24 Oct. 1961 3,087,767 S.D. Schell 30 Apr. 1963 RB. White 30 Nov. 1965 BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS FIGS. 1-4 are prospective views ofa storage unit embodying the invention;

FIG. 5 is a sectional view, to an enlarged scale, of the storage unit of FIGS. 1-4, taken about the section 55 in FIG. 1;

FIGS. 6 and 8 are sectional views, to an enlarged scale, of the storage unit, taken along the sections 66 and 8-8 in FIG. 5;

FIGS. 7 and 9 are sectional views of the storage unit taken along the sections 7-7 and 99 respectively in FIGS. 6 and 8;

FIG. 10 is a sectional view of the storage unit taken along the section 10-10 in FIG. 9.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION Referring to FIGS. 1-4, a storage unit includes a top panel 22, a front panel 24, side panels or walls 26 and 28, a rear panel or wall 30, and a bottom panel 32. The front panel 24 is pivotally mounted about a first axis 24a at the top thereof to the top panel 22 (see FIG. 2). The top panel 22 is likewise pivotally mounted about an axis 2211 (FIG. 3) at the back thereof to back panel 30. The top panel 22 includes a space 22a therein which receives the front panel 24 when that latter panel is pivoted from its normal perpendicular relationship with the top panel (the perpendicular relationship of FIG. 2) about the axis 24a to a parallel relationship with the top panel (the parallel relationship shown in FIG. 3). In the parallel relationships of top and front panels, the front panel 24 is contained within the space 220 in the top panel 22. Thus, the overall thickness of top panel and front panel (the thickness 1 in FIG. 3) is no greater than the thickness of the top panel alone (the thickness t in FIG. 2).

Accordingly, the front panel 24 may be used to close off the opening to the storage unit 20, as in FIG. 11, or it may be pivoted into the top panel 22 to leave the storage 'unit open, as in FIG. 4.

Refer to FIG. 5, which is a section taken through the middle of the storage unit in closed position as in FIG. 1. The top panel 22 may be advantageously formed from sheet metal and includes a top piece 22b, two side pieces (only one of which22cis shown) and front and rear edge pieces 22d and 22e. A piano-type hinge 34 is secured to the rear edge piece 22e as well as to the back wall or panel 30 to provide for the pivotal attachment of top panel 22 to the back wall (about axis 22h in FIG. 3).

Referring to FIGS. 8 and 9, the front panel 24 may also be formed of sheet metal to include side pieces 24b (shown in FIG. 2) and 24c (shown in FIG. 9). A hinge support 36 is welded or otherwise suitably secured to the side piece 24c of the front panel. That hinge support includes a hole 36a at its upper end to receive a rivet 38 which passes through the hole and through a washer 40 (FIG. 8) and through a corresponding hole in the side piece 220 that forms a part of the top panel 22. Thus, the rivet 38 (there is a rivet at each side of the front panel 24) provides for the pivotal attachment (about the axis 24a in FIG. 2) of front panel 24 to top panel 22.

As shown in FIGS. 3 and 10, a bracket 40 is included which is attached to the side wall or panel 26. A similar bracket (not shown in any of the figures) is attached to the other side panel 28. These brackets are for the purpose of providing support for the top panel 22 as well as support for the front panel 24 when that front panel is pivoted into position in the space 22a in the top panel. The top of the bracket may have a piece of felt'or similar material (42) adhered thereto to prevent scratching of the top and front panels.

Provision is made to limit the pivotal movement of the top and front panels. First, as to pivotal movement of the front panel 24 to the top panel 22 about the axis 24a (FIG. 2), a plurality of wafers 44 (FIGS. 5 and 8) are employed. The wafers are secured to top edge piece 24d that forms a part of the front panel 24. The top edge piece 24d is positioned adjacent to an underside edge piece 22f(FIG. 9) that forms part of top panel 22. It will be noted that there is a space 46 between the top edge piece 24d and the underside edge piece 22f, and also that the top edge piece 24d is wider (width W2) than the underside edge piece 22f (width w In this fashion the wafers take up or fill the space 46 and substantially prevent pivotal movement of the front panel 24 in a counter clockwise sense with respect to FIG. 9 inasmuch as the wafers are squeezed between the underside and top edge pieces to prevent such angular movement of the front panel 24. However, for opposite angular movement of the front panel 24, the underside and top edge pieces tend to move away from each other, and thus clockwise movement of the front panel 24 is possible. I

As to the limited angular movement of the top panel 22, a stop member 50 is employed (shown in FIGS. 5-7). The stop member 50 shown in FIG. 5 is secured by welding or other suitable fashion to the side piece 22c of the top panel 22. The stop member includes a hook-shaped end 50a which extends through an opening 52 in the back wall or panel 30. Normally, there are two such stop members 50 located on both sides of the storage unit. As the top panel 22 is pivoted upwardly to the dashed position shown in FIG. 7, the hook portion 50a moves through the opening 52 and engages bracket 40, thereby to prevent any further pivoting of the top panel 22.

As noted above, the top and front panels advantageously may be formed from sheet metal. The width of the front panel 24 (dimension d in FIG. 2) between the side pieces 24b and 24c of that panel is less than the width of the top panel 22 (dimension d, in FIG. 2) between the side pieces 22c and 22g thereof. This permits the nesting of the front panel within the space 22a of the top panel to permit the complete hiding of the front panel. It should be noted that when the front panel 24 is pivoted to the position shown in FIG. 3, the front edge piece 22d of the top panel 22 hides the front panel from view. In this connection it should be noted that when the front panel is so pivoted, the top panel 22 is pivoted upwardly to permit the front panel to clear the brackets 40 and to permit the nesting of the panels together.

.The side panels 26 and 28 may be of sheet metal, or they may be of wood or any other suitable material. The back wall or panel 30 is secured to the side panels 26 and 28 such as by screws 62 shown in FIG. 5. Likewise, screws 64 may be employed to secure the bottom panel 32 (which may also be of sheet metal) to the side panels.

The bottom panel 32 may secure in place a barrier 32a of any suitable material which may be sound insulating, for example. Such a barrier is useful when the storage unit 20 is hung from a wall, for example, and is positioned over a desk top upon which a typewriter may be located. Space 66 may similarly be used to position a light source (not shown).

Bumpers 68 (FIGS. 2 and may be employed to prevent scratching of the front and bottom panels 24 and 32.

At the upper part of the back wall or panel 30 there is located a reinforcing member 70, which serves simply as a stiffening element to aid in the hanging of the storage unit 20.

Modifications of the embodiments disclosed will suggest themselves to those skilled in the art. Accordingly, the invention should be taken to be defined by the following claims.

We claim:

1. In a storage unit having a top panel and a front panel pivotally mounted about a first axis at the top thereof to said top panel, the improvement wherein said top panel includes a space therein to receive said front panel when the same is pivoted from a normal perpendicular relationship with said top panel about said first axis to a parallel relationship with said top panel.

2. A storage unit according to claim 1, including means for retaining said front panel in said space within said top panel.

3. A storage unit according to claim 1, wherein said top panel is pivotally mounted about a second axis at the back thereof to a back wall.

4. A storage unit according to claim 3, including two side walls, at least one of said side walls including a bracket near the top thereof for supporting said op panel and said top and front panels when the front panel is pivoted to a position within the space of said top panel.

5. A storage unit according to claim 3, including stop means for limiting the pivotal movement of said top panel about said second axis.

6. A storage unit according to claim 5, in which said stop means comprises a stop member attached to said top panel at the back thereof, and a bracket attached to one of two side walls which engages the stop member after the top panel has pivoted a predetermined angular distance to prevent further pivoting of said top panel.

7. A storage unit according to claim 6, in which the stop member extends through an opening in the back wall and terminates in a hook portion which moves through said opening as said top panel is pivoted and which engages said bracket.

8. A storage unit according to claim 6, in which said bracket is attached to said side wall near the top thereof for supporting said top panel and said top and front panels when the front panel is pivoted to a position within the space of said top panel.

9. A storage unit according to claim 1, in which said top panel is of sheet metal formed from a top piece and two side pieces, the front panel is of sheet metal formed from a front piece and two side pieces, the width of the top piece between its two side pieces being greater than the width of the front piece between its two side pieces.

10. A storage unit according to claim 1, including stop means for limiting the pivotal movement of said front panel about said first axis.

11. A storage unit according to claim 10, in which said front panel includes a top edge piece, said top panel includes an underside edge piece, said two edge pieces being positioned adjacent each other with a space therebetween, one of said edge pieces being wider than the other, and at least one wafer attached to one of said edge pieces in said space between said edge pieces to take up that space and to substantially prevent pivotal movement of said front panel in one angular direction in which said two edge pieces move toward each other and squeeze said wafer therebetween but permit movement of said front panel in the opposite angular direction in which said edge pieces tend to move away from each other.

12. In a storage unit having top, back and side panels, with the top panel pivotally mounted about an axis at the back thereof to said back panel, the improvement comprising stop means for limiting the pivotal movement of said top panel about said axis, said stop means comprising a stop member attached to said top panel at the back thereof with relative movement therebetween, and a bracket attached to said side panel which engages the stop member after the top panel has pivoted a predetermined angular distance to prevent further pivoting of said top panel.

13. A storage unit according to claim 12, in which the stop member extends through an opening in the back panel and terminates in a hook portion which moves through said opening as said top panel is pivoted and which engages said bracket. 

1. In a storage unit having a top panel and a front panel pivotally mounted about a first axis at the top thereof to said top panel, the improvement wherein said top panel includes a space therein to receive said front panel when the same is pivoted from a normal perpendicular relationship with said top panel about said first axis to a parallel relationship with said top panel.
 2. A storage unit according to claim 1, including means for retaining said front panel in said space within said top panel.
 3. A storage unit according to claim 1, wherein said top panel is pivotally mounted about a second axis at the back thereof to a back wall.
 4. A storage unit according to claim 3, including two side walls, at least one of said side walls including a bracket near the top thereof for supporting said top panel and said top and front panels when the front panel is pivoted to a position within the space of said top panel.
 5. A storage unit according to claim 3, including stop means for limiting the pivotal movement of said top panel about said second axis.
 6. A storage unit according to claim 5, in which said stop means comprises a stop member attached to said top panel at the back thereof, and a bracket attached to one of two side walls which engages the stop member after the top panel has pivoted a predetermined angular distance to prevent further pivoting of said top panel.
 7. A storage unit according to claim 6, in which the stop member extends through an opening in the back wall and terminates in a hook portion which moves through said opening as said top panel is pivoted and which engages said bracket.
 8. A storage unit according to claim 6, in which said bracket is attached to said side wall near the top thereof for supporting said top panel and said top and front panels when the front panel is pivoted to a position within the space of said top paneL.
 9. A storage unit according to claim 1, in which said top panel is of sheet metal formed from a top piece and two side pieces, the front panel is of sheet metal formed from a front piece and two side pieces, the width of the top piece between its two side pieces being greater than the width of the front piece between its two side pieces.
 10. A storage unit according to claim 1, including stop means for limiting the pivotal movement of said front panel about said first axis.
 11. A storage unit according to claim 10, in which said front panel includes a top edge piece, said top panel includes an underside edge piece, said two edge pieces being positioned adjacent each other with a space therebetween, one of said edge pieces being wider than the other, and at least one wafer attached to one of said edge pieces in said space between said edge pieces to take up that space and to substantially prevent pivotal movement of said front panel in one angular direction in which said two edge pieces move toward each other and squeeze said wafer therebetween but permit movement of said front panel in the opposite angular direction in which said edge pieces tend to move away from each other.
 12. In a storage unit having top, back and side panels, with the top panel pivotally mounted about an axis at the back thereof to said back panel, the improvement comprising stop means for limiting the pivotal movement of said top panel about said axis, said stop means comprising a stop member attached to said top panel at the back thereof with relative movement therebetween, and a bracket attached to said side panel which engages the stop member after the top panel has pivoted a predetermined angular distance to prevent further pivoting of said top panel.
 13. A storage unit according to claim 12, in which the stop member extends through an opening in the back panel and terminates in a hook portion which moves through said opening as said top panel is pivoted and which engages said bracket. 